Hi there, first post.
I just caught a sneak look at my new car prior to delivery. It's 40K worth and I am pretty sure the dealer has neglected to order the sports suspension (factory fit) and optional alloys.
I have the spec in writing confirmed by both parties.
If I am right I am going to be mighty un-happy having waited 11 months for the car.
What do you reckon my options are?
|
|
Options? absolutly none until the dealer presents you with the car.
|
|
|
get your deposit back. walk away.
get the car cheaper. talk with salesman & manager to knock off cost of alloys & Suspension
u could always get the cash off, for the cost, but talk with sales&manager to get discount off some ordered alloys and keep others as spare/or sell.
might be a bonus, u get better comfier suspension, but with some added bling alloys
:-)
|
Wait till the dealer presents you with the car, then go through the spec.
Some options are dealer-fitted and it could be that it is down to the dealer to supply/fit the alloys prior to delivery.
If the suspension doesn't tally then you have an argument.
Oz (as was)
|
Which car is it?
The suspension could almost certainly fitted by the dealer, though I'm not sure I'd be happy with such work on a brand-new car. Obviously the alloys are easy to correct.
If the car's one that's in high demand then the dealer might not be bothered if you reject - maybe it could even be sold at a premium to avoid someone waiting 11mths?
|
|
|
|
|
You'd be better off without the alloys - they're a complete waste of money. Make sure you get the cost difference back from the dealer.
|
I imagine he means a non-standard alloy compared to a standard alloy, what £40k would come with pressed wheels and plastic trims?
|
|
well if its a beemer, and he has gone for sports suspension with ultra low profiles he is going to wish the dealer had forgotten them!
|
|
Hu Hu. VT eyes knows a good dentist !
|
Car is an SLK 350, wheels I ordered are an option same size but much nicer design, sports suspension is very unlikely to be a dealer fit.
I am dissappointed because I ordered a manual and was wanting a sports oriented spec.
|
£181 for a gold crown.
my bottem left molar, filling fell out.
ouch!
har har PU.
;-)
|
|
|
I whole heartedly agree, with this setup running over a matchstick in the road is a major drama. In fact my last car (Saab 93 Vector) had sports suspension and low profiles fitted, I got rid of the car to be honest as I got sick of the ride quality.
|
Well I have a 330Ci Sport with 18" alloys and sports suspension, and a 911 also with 18"ers and 10mm lowered suspension.
I can see why some say the ride is hard. But I like both and wouldn't want them any other way.
The X5 has the Sport wheels & suspension which you often criticise, HJ. But last weekend our elderly relatives complimented me on the "very comfortable" ride.
It's all a matter of opinion.
|
Gotta agree with patently. Not in the same league as all you big wigs I know but you'd be amazed how many people say how hard the ride is on my Focus but I think it's fantastic. I always get told how their Dad's Mark 2 Mondeo is much more comfy.
I've driven a Mark 2 Mondeo - yes you're comfy but you're also disconnected from the road. It feels like the car is sitting on vats of treacle to be honest.
I'd much rather have a firm ride - if of course that equated to better handling.
--
Adam
|
|
Adam, the ride on a Focus is not "HARD", ok its a bit "taut", even "controlled" possibly even "firm" but compared to sports suspension with very low profile tyres its positvely a magic carpet.
|
That's what I keep telling them RF but will they listen? Nooooo.
My Dad's mate has an M3 with very low profiles on it and it's noticably harder but even then, I wouldn't go so far as to say uncomfortable.
Give me "controlled" any day.
--
Adam
|
It depends upon what you consider "hard". A firmer suspension set up will limit the amount the wheel travels on bumps, etc. I find that a hard suspension plays hell with my back and prefer a softer set up. The way the suspension controls the wheel movement is as important as how much/little the wheel actually moves. Body roll is usually the limiting factor when the suspension can no longer keep a decent tyre contact patch. If I remember correctly, my old 1965 Lotus Elan was very softly sprung, for what it was, and the handling/roadholding was superb.
The tyre profile, suspension set up and the passenger seating should be working together in harmony. That's why I drive a "wet" Citroen. There is also the button on the dash for the "Italian tune up" moments ---
|
How do sports suspensions with low profile tyres cope with sleeping policemen?
madf
|
How do sports suspensions with low profile tyres cope with sleeping policemen?
In first gear, slowly. In fact, very slowly!
|
Personally, I think that most modern cars have overly hard suspension. French cars of ten-twenty years ago had a much softer ride than their German or Japanese counterparts, yet usually handled very well.
Eighties Peugeots and Citroens (and Renaults too) gave a lovely soft ride, yet the Peugeots for example handled very well. I remember driving a few of the early 90s Rover 200 series, and was horrified at how little grip they had compared with a Peugeot 405, even though the ride was harsher. A friend who replaced her 405 with a Rover 214 was very disappointed by the poor cornering ability.
What I notice these days is that if I am a passenger, I really notice a harsh ride, but not so much if I'm driving. A Peugeot 307 in which I was recently a passenger seemed to have lost the supple ride of its predecesors: I didn't like it at all. And a lot of car suspensions seem to be designed without much thought for rear seat passengers -- far too jiggly for comfort.
When I'm driving, I prefer to try to drive like a chauffeur, with an imaginary glass of water on the dashboard. That doesn't mean crawling at 20mph (I tend to do a lot of overtaking), but it does mean slowing a bit for corners ... which I don't regard as much of a handicap, because that's usually required anyway by visibility requirements (in order to be able to stop in the distance I can see to be clear).
It seems to me that cars are being set up to satisfy the demands of young (mostly male road-testers), whose priority is to optimise handling on the limits -- hence all the pictures of cars going round corners with the inside wheels nearly off the ground. Driving on public roads should rarely (if ever) test a modern car to anywhere near those extremes, but we seem to be in an age that is producing vehicles optimised for a style of driving which probably ought to be discouraged anyway.
And the flip-side of that is a ride quality which won't bother drivers too much, but ain't good for passengers.
|
Quite right, NW. The 3 is harder to drive in a way that is comfortable for passengers. But it can be done, it just requires a higher level of concentration. A bad thing or a good thing? ;-)
But, and this is the real point, its primary job is to take me to work. So for 95% of the time, it only has me on board. At which times, the passenger ride quality counts for naught.
Now, if things were different, I would have chosen differently. Probably a 5 with lower profile tyres.
|
|
|
I've driven a Mark 2 Mondeo - yes you're comfy but you're also disconnected from the road. It feels like the car is sitting on vats of treacle to be honest.
You must have driven one in dire need of a suspension overhaul then. I have no such problems, infact the Mondeo is known for its direct steering and good handling.
|
Sorry Mike. I never meant any offence. It was a W reg LX. By itself there wouldn't have been a problem. It's just a little....comfier than I'm used to!
--
Adam
|
|
|
|
|
>>It's all a matter of opinion.
True, true but he is definitely correct (CbyCB) about the sports+ /17" option on a MINI Cooper. Sports and 16" was firm enough.
-- Lee Having a Fabialous time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hi there, first post. I just caught a sneak look at my new car prior to delivery. It's 40K worth and I am pretty sure the dealer has neglected to order the sports suspension (factory fit) and optional alloys. I have the spec in writing confirmed by both parties. If I am right I am going to be mighty un-happy having waited 11 months for the car. What do you reckon my options are?
Had the same thing happen to me last year on a 34K Audi A4 Cabriolet. Waited 12 weeks for it - was told it was in teh garage and being preped. Day for collection was aranged. 2 hours before phonecall from very waffly nervous salesman who in the end I had to ask him what was wrong and why he was calling me. he then confesed that there was a slight error in that the car had blue leather rather than the black I had ordered.
I was very angry at the time, but he convinced me to come in and have a look at the car, and as it happenes the blue was so dark it was like charcoal grey. Dealership very sheepish, but assured me that everything else was as I ordered until I pointed out that the car had a quattro badge on the bonnet and I had ordered a standard 2WD model. At this point sales manager came out and was very honest with me in telling me that it was the admin girls fault as she had ordered the car without confirming the spec with him as he was on holiday.
Anyway end result was that dealer offered me three options - return of deposit and walk away, dealer order car again and get spec right, but at least another 12 week wait, or deal to be reached on the car there. We did a deal as they were very keen given that they had already registered the car in my name so it was used if I walked away - I got the quattro for free which was worth 1500 quid to me, 1000 off the car and free diamondbrite / GAP insurance so ended up about 3K up.
A lot of this was due to the time of year - september is not the time to put cabriolets on the forecourt and they had a used one of the same spec out already, but as I said they were pretty good about it and took full responsibility for getting it wrong.
|
..sales manager came out and was very honest with me in telling me that it was the admin girls fault..
Don't you just love a manager who blames 'the admin girl'.
|
i would take her out back and give her a good talking to.
|
One of the major stores in london used ot have a "sacking man" He was wheeled out to be sacked in front of the disgruntled consumer, then wheeled back to his office for the next time a "sacking" was required.
NOt as good as giving the office girl a good talking to tho!
|
|
|
|
>> ..sales manager came out and was very honest with me in >> telling me that it was the admin girls fault.. Don't you just love a manager who blames 'the admin girl'.
I know from watching the experiences of my colleagues that more often than not when a car arrives wrong, it really has been ordered wrong by admin, not the salesman's fault at all, but then sometimes it is just because the salesman forgets to write the requirements on the form...
Blue
|
|
|
|
|
Going back a few posts, I absolutely agree with No Wheels. These young male road testers have a lot to answer for.
We all know that BMWs and Audis each have their merits - in my view pretty evenly balanced: but the testers will almost always go for the BMW because of its handling ability. Perhaps if enough of us make a noise, they may listen, though I have my doubts.
If HJ reads this thread I'd be interested to know his viewas as a road tester. I'm not saying they shouldn't test on-the-limit handling - they should and it's important. But it's not the only, perhaps not even the main, factor for some of us who use our cars every day.
|
Err.. road testers advise, they don't instruct.
If they say that the M3 CSL* is the only car worth buying, but you test drove them all and prefer a Kia Picanto, then there is nothing to stop you buying the Kia.
Last time I remember agreeing with a published road test was some time in 1999. Every tester brings their own preferences to the test, so the one-liner result is only of any use if you happen to agree with them. What is inportant is to read WHY they like or don't like a car and decide if that is important to you.
---------------------------------
*and they'd be wrong. It's actually a 911 GT3. Which I don't own... ;-)
|
|
a long conversation considering the car has not even been delivered incorrectly yet.......
|
|
|
>What is inportant is to read WHY they like or don't like a car and decide if that is important to you<.
Surely road testers write their reports aiming at the section of the public which their publications believe are their targeted readers? And as has been said here recently, many car mags are tending towards the Max Power style, for boy racers. QED?
|
many car mags are tending towards the Max Power style, for boy racers. QED?
So don't read them. Test drive the cars yourself, and make your own mind up.
Anyway, exactly what is wrong with a commercial organisation trying to produce the product that its customers want? Life is quite simple; those that want it can buy it. Those that don't, need not. I don't - I find it an expensive way to occupy myself for the 5-10 minutes it takes to read them.
There seem to be a lot of people who are very dissatisfied with the motoring magazines on offer. Why don't you start a new one? After all, 'tis better to light a candle....
|
Re car magazines (we are a little off the original topic - sorry!) I think it's rather like cars themselves - dissatisfaction comes when something doesn't meet your expectations. People expect Mercs to be something special (particularly at that price) and are naturally disappointed when build quality and reliability are no better than average.
A Skoda buyer expects a useful workhorse and gets a good quality product with a surprising turn of speed. That's why the surveys show so many who will buy another.
If you buy Max Power and its ilk you get what you expect - fine. My problem is with Autocar which has catered widely for all types of motorist for over 100 years: I think it should make more effort to do just that.
|
My problem is with Autocar which has catered widely for all types of motorist for over 100 years: I think it should make more effort to do just that.
I'm sympathetic, as it is unsettling to lose something familiar in this way.
But Autocar is a commercial organisation, and I think it should make an effort to appeal to whatever readership gives it the best return and ensures that its magazines and its ad space sell. The alternative fate is that of Rover.
If there is a market opportunity for a sensible car mag, and no mag is filling that space, then let's set one up.
|
|
|
|
|
|
